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CoconutFred
Aug 23, 2013, 7:36 PM
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I've never climbed before in my life until this morning. I'd say I'm in pretty good shape (I ran track and cross country). I had a harness because I've done rappelling, but I've never climbed. I went to an indoor gym in Salt Lake City, Utah. The first route I did was a 5.10b and the second was a 5.10c. Both of them were top roping. I saw lots of routes that were 5.11 and 5.12. It seemed like all the other people there were climbing 5.11. Should I be climbing harder grades? Or what is a good beginner grade to be climbing on?
(This post was edited by CoconutFred on Aug 23, 2013, 7:43 PM)
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amyas
Aug 23, 2013, 10:16 PM
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I guess some people have a low standard when it comes to considering themselves "in shape". Also sounds like a pretty weak gym. For beginners 5.12's should be a decent warm up. You sure its not a gym tailored specifically to toddlers and/or seniors?
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Syd
Aug 24, 2013, 10:58 PM
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Best I've seen for a beginner outdoors was a 50 yr old woman doing a 5.11b.
Routes in gyms are soft to make beginners feel good and come back for more.
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CoconutFred
Aug 25, 2013, 11:54 PM
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ok, I'm 18 years old and I placed top 12 in state in hurdling, I run 7 miles a day and do 500 reps of core workout every day. I'm a skinny guy, 5' 10" and weigh 135. oh, and I also went to state in pole vaulting. The climbing gym is Momentum Climbing in Salt Lake City, Utah. Go and look it up. So what you're telling me is to start on a 5.13? Come on people.
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marc801
Aug 26, 2013, 12:20 AM
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CoconutFred wrote: I've never climbed before in my life until this morning. I'd say I'm in pretty good shape (I ran track and cross country). I had a harness because I've done rappelling, but I've never climbed. I went to an indoor gym in Salt Lake City, Utah. The first route I did was a 5.10b and the second was a 5.10c. Both of them were top roping. I saw lots of routes that were 5.11 and 5.12. It seemed like all the other people there were climbing 5.11. Should I be climbing harder grades? Or what is a good beginner grade to be climbing on?
Since it's doubtful you climbed 10b and 10c your first day, especially at Momentum (really folks, they're not anywhere near that soft there), by any chance were you on a route that was 10b only if you only used, say, the holds with yellow tape on them? A lot of gyms will do this - a route is 10c if you only use the holds marked with a specific color, and 5.6 if you use any holds you can reach.
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lena_chita
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Aug 26, 2013, 12:28 AM
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CoconutFred wrote: ok, I'm 18 years old and I placed top 12 in state in hurdling, I run 7 miles a day and do 500 reps of core workout every day. I'm a skinny guy, 5' 10" and weigh 135. oh, and I also went to state in pole vaulting. The climbing gym is Momentum Climbing in Salt Lake City, Utah. Go and look it up. So what you're telling me is to start on a 5.13? Come on people.
No, what people are telling you is to lighten up.
So, you are young and in pretty good shape. Good for you. Do you want a trophy, or a cookie? Do you want everyone to tell you how awesome you are, for climbing a 10c on your first day?
If you want to be the best climber in the world, then 10c is nothing to write home about.
For an average first-time climber 10c is pretty good, assuming that it was an accurately graded 10c. And sorry, "looking up" the gym is not going to tell me whether it is, or it isn't graded softly.
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carabiner96
Aug 26, 2013, 12:41 AM
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lena_chita wrote: CoconutFred wrote: ok, I'm 18 years old and I placed top 12 in state in hurdling, I run 7 miles a day and do 500 reps of core workout every day. I'm a skinny guy, 5' 10" and weigh 135. oh, and I also went to state in pole vaulting. The climbing gym is Momentum Climbing in Salt Lake City, Utah. Go and look it up. So what you're telling me is to start on a 5.13? Come on people. No, what people are telling you is to lighten up. So, you are young and in pretty good shape. Good for you. Do you want a trophy, or a cookie? Do you want everyone to tell you how awesome you are, for climbing a 10c on your first day? If you want to be the best climber in the world, then 10c is nothing to write home about. For an average first-time climber 10c is pretty good, assuming that it was an accurately graded 10c. And sorry, "looking up" the gym is not going to tell me whether it is, or it isn't graded softly.
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CoconutFred
Aug 26, 2013, 2:53 AM
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Hey, sorry I've never climbed before. I wasn't sure how the grades were done and what was difficult and what wasn't. I actually did climb a 5.10c, sorry if that makes you feel bad. Pro climber? Wow, I went climbing for fun one day and was wondering what a difficult grade was because I noticed them on the wall in front of me. You guys just need to take a chill pill and maybe help a guy out for once rather than looking for threads to flame on. I'll take that cookie too by the way. I could use it. Why don't you guys let me know what your first climb you ever did was rated? If you live near Momentum and want me to show you that I really did climb a 5.10c then I'd be glad to come climb because I need a belayer! ;)
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CoconutFred
Aug 26, 2013, 2:58 AM
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Not trying to brag about being in shape, but that's how "in shape I am" because you seemed to be wondering.
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potreroed
Aug 26, 2013, 3:26 AM
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Don't worry about the grades. Warm up on easy and climb as much as you can. Be aware that climbing too hard before you're ready will inevitably lead to serious tendonitis and the only cure is...not climbing for many months.
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CoconutFred
Aug 26, 2013, 3:32 AM
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Hey, thanks for the non-degrading reply! Will do.
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shockabuku
Aug 26, 2013, 3:36 AM
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potreroed wrote: ... serious tendonitis and the only cure is...not climbing for many months.
Nonsense, maybe even counter-productive.
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onceahardman
Aug 26, 2013, 12:32 PM
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Fred, 10c is exceptional for your first day out.
The thing is, 10c (or any grade) comes in many shapes and sizes. Yours is not the first post of it's type here, which, I think, is what led to the flaming you received.
Climbing at a gym is generally a bit easier in part because the holds are so obvious. The gymnastic difficulty may well have been 10c, but it is easy to see the holds.
Gain some perspective by traveling a bit, and climb on natural rock. As stated above, you may well find yourself having difficulty on a 5.6 or 5.7, especially an old one. I know it doesn't make sense, but that is how "rock" climbing, rather than "plastic and wood" climbing is.
Personally, I think climbing on rocks is way more fun and varied. For me, plastic is only for training, but rocks are for fun.
I'd much rather have fun. You obviously have a lot of potential, and I hope you will read and learn some of the history of the sport, and gain a deeper understanding of the numbers. You might not even be able to get off the ground on a 10c fist crack, or a 10c slab route.
Good luck!
(This post was edited by onceahardman on Aug 26, 2013, 12:32 PM)
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rsmillbern
Aug 26, 2013, 2:10 PM
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CoconutFred wrote: I've never climbed before in my life until this morning. I'd say I'm in pretty good shape (I ran track and cross country). I had a harness because I've done rappelling, but I've never climbed. I went to an indoor gym in Salt Lake City, Utah. The first route I did was a 5.10b and the second was a 5.10c. Both of them were top roping. I saw lots of routes that were 5.11 and 5.12. It seemed like all the other people there were climbing 5.11. Should I be climbing harder grades? Or what is a good beginner grade to be climbing on?
Forget about grade and climb. If your having fun, then your on the right grade.
Grades are different from gym to gym and from crag to crag. Especially starting out try not to get hung up on the numbers.
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skelldify
Aug 26, 2013, 3:35 PM
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You climbed like a beginner on your first day. Just like anyone doing anything for the first time.
No more, no less.
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lena_chita
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Aug 26, 2013, 4:55 PM
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CoconutFred wrote: Hey, sorry I've never climbed before. I wasn't sure how the grades were done and what was difficult and what wasn't. I actually did climb a 5.10c, sorry if that makes you feel bad. Pro climber? Wow, I went climbing for fun one day and was wondering what a difficult grade was because I noticed them on the wall in front of me. You guys just need to take a chill pill and maybe help a guy out for once rather than looking for threads to flame on. I'll take that cookie too by the way. I could use it. Why don't you guys let me know what your first climb you ever did was rated? If you live near Momentum and want me to show you that I really did climb a 5.10c then I'd be glad to come climb because I need a belayer! ;)
here's a cookie:
And a word of advice:
CoconutFred wrote: "I'd be glad to come climb because I need a belayer!"
Dude, lose this attitude, ASAP! You "need a belayer", huh? I am sure you can pay the belay staff at the gym. You can maybe talk your mom into getting belay-certified, so she can belay you all the time, without asking for anything back.
But if you want someone to climb with you, you need a PARTNER, not a belay bitch. So you better start thinking about what YOU can bring to that partnership. Because it is unlikely that anyone other than your Mom or the paid belay staff will respond to your post above, with an offer to come belay you, just for the joy of seeing your amazing climbing skills.
I think it is the same attitude that got you the flaming in this thread. The "tell me that I am really good for climbing 10c". When people want to simply know what those "5.10c, 5.11b, 5.12d labels mean", they ask THAT, instead of posting what you did. "I climbed 10c, on my first visit, should I have started on 5.11 instead?" Because, duh! if you climbed that one, and it was easy for you, and you liked it, and you wanted to climb more, by all means, try 5.11. Try 5.12, try all of them! Just don't go fishing for compliments and looking for people to tell you how good you are. If you ARE good, you will hear it, don't worry, and it would be from people who know you, not from random internet posters.
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potreroed
Aug 26, 2013, 5:38 PM
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shockabuku wrote: potreroed wrote: ... serious tendonitis and the only cure is...not climbing for many months. Nonsense, maybe even counter-productive.
Yeah, I guess there is surgery and rehab.
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CoconutFred
Aug 26, 2013, 5:41 PM
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Sorry I came off like I wash fishing for compliments, but I wasn't. I was just wondering if what I did was completely average, which turns out it is. And I'm okay with that. I just wanted someone to put into perspective the actual difficulty level of what I climbed was, because, having never climbed before, I had absolutely no idea what a difficult rating was. If I had climbed a 5.6 I would've said the exact same thing to know if that was difficult or not. I agree with your response, and yes I should find a climbing "partner" not a "belayer". I have a partner, but he can only climb about once a month. I totally did not mean to come off with that kind of attitude, I'm sorry, and that's not how I really am. I think climbing is great. I think I enjoy it more than any other sport I've done. I guess I'll save up for gear so I can climb outside for real. If you find anything else to criticize about what I'm saying go right ahead. I enjoy reading what other people have to say! :)
(This post was edited by CoconutFred on Aug 26, 2013, 5:49 PM)
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marc801
Aug 26, 2013, 7:30 PM
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CoconutFred wrote: If you find anything else to criticize about what I'm saying go right ahead.
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CoconutFred
Aug 26, 2013, 7:40 PM
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haha, yeah ok
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jomagam
Aug 26, 2013, 7:53 PM
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First of all did you climb those routes without taking a rest or a fall ? It only counts if you did so.
A 5.10c without any practice definitely means that you're talented, even if it was soft gym grades. To translate it to the world of athletics, since you seem to be at home there: what would you say to somebody who runs a 6-minute mile the first time he tries ?
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shockabuku
Aug 27, 2013, 3:33 AM
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CoconutFred wrote: haha, yeah ok
That's better.
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shockabuku
Aug 27, 2013, 3:36 AM
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potreroed wrote: shockabuku wrote: potreroed wrote: ... serious tendonitis and the only cure is...not climbing for many months. Nonsense, maybe even counter-productive. Yeah, I guess there is surgery and rehab.
My personal experience is that not climbing makes the pain go away but doesn't get rid of the tendonitis; when I start climbing again the tendonitis is there. Working through it with low intensity climbing, targeted exercises, stretching, and maybe massage, seems to work best.
So although I might represent an infinitesimally small segment of the population it puts the lie to "the only cure is not climbing for many months".
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Danxz
Aug 27, 2013, 8:28 AM
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Coconut,
Come back once a year and tell us how much you've progessed if you want to impress people. I'd reckon 90% like you drop out after half a dozen visits to the gym.
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lena_chita
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Aug 27, 2013, 12:09 PM
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CoconutFred wrote: Sorry I came off like I wash fishing for compliments, but I wasn't. I was just wondering if what I did was completely average, which turns out it is. And I'm okay with that. I just wanted someone to put into perspective the actual difficulty level of what I climbed was, because, having never climbed before, I had absolutely no idea what a difficult rating was. If I had climbed a 5.6 I would've said the exact same thing to know if that was difficult or not.
These kinds of questions are much more informatively answered when asked in person. Who belayed you on your first visit to the gym? Was it the gym staff? That would have been a good person to ask whether your performance was "average" for the first-timer, or better than average.
In all honestly, if it were exceptionally good, you probably would have heard it from the gym staff watching you, but I am sure it is different in different places, maybe the gym is too busy for staff to watch closely over you. When I belay groups of first-timers, I would tell someone if they appeared to be naturally much better than average first-timer, and encourage them to come back after the first time. Oddly enough though, those people are the ones who never ask if they ARE better than average. It is usually the muscled frat boys who are completely average who really want to know how they stack up. I kind of projected that on you.
CoconutFred wrote: I agree with your response, and yes I should find a climbing "partner" not a "belayer". I have a partner, but he can only climb about once a month. I totally did not mean to come off with that kind of attitude, I'm sorry, and that's not how I really am. I think climbing is great. I think I enjoy it more than any other sport I've done. I guess I'll save up for gear so I can climb outside for real. If you find anything else to criticize about what I'm saying go right ahead. I enjoy reading what other people have to say! :)
Looks like there is hope for you, after all. If you like it, stick with it. Maybe eventually we will all be reading about a new phenom from Utah, named Fred. 
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